MEDFORD, Mass. – Mariama Kamara and Emma Weisse each secured their spots at New Englands to highlight Suffolk women's indoor track & field performances at the Tufts Invitational Saturday at the Gantcher Center.
Kamara was the first to punch her ticket to regionals. The senior sprint qualified for finals of the 60-meter dash with a preliminary time of 8.28. She upstaged that performance in the eight-runner final, clocking in a 8.10, which sits as the best Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) time this year. Kamara will make her second straight appearance at New Englands in the same event.
Dakhensey Marcellus was also in the 60-meter dash field, which featured 25 runners. Suffolk's junior finished in 8.74 to claim 19th.
Weisse anchored the distance runners in the mile. The senior cruised to a time of 5:19.96, good for third in Medford out of 23 student-athletes. Weisse's time was not only the best GNAC mile this season, but sealed up the captain's spot at regionals for the third consecutive campaign.
Savannah Goddeeris also had a standout showing in the same event, finishing eight behind a time of 5:47.71. Marin Stamer took 13th with a sub-6:00.00 showing at 5:55.90. Mai Linh Vankirk (6:09.02 – 17th) and Natalie Fay (6:15.55 – 18th) represented the Rams in the event as well.
Sarah Lawton donned the blue-and-gold in the 600, which she ran in 1:47.77, to take sixth, and Skyler Spanbauer rounded out Suffolk's distance runners with a 13th-place showing in the in the 3000 (11:55.47).
Cassandra Kuechler (11.25) and Julia Hunt (11.35) each ran the 60-meter hurdles. Hunt also made history as the first-ever Suffolk female student-athlete to participate in the long jump. She produced a 4.04 in her first go at the event.
Nicole DiBenedetto was also a first-timer in the high jump. The freshman cleared 1.421 meters to take ninth.
When it came to the field events Allison Rodrigues competed in the shot put and weight throw with a 10.60-meter toss in the former and an 8.30-meter throw in the latter, respectively.
Michelle Riley also partook in the shot put with an 8.30-meter throw, good for 23rd.
Collectively, Suffolk compiled 20 points as a squad to finish sixth in the eight-team field, which was topped by the hosts Tufts' 243.50.
The Rams schedule continues this weekend as a small contingent head across town to Boston University's John Thomas Terrier Classic, Friday, Jan. 24
